Pneumatic cotton-elevator.



l vators; and I do hereby declare the following the invention, such as will enable others,

provided with a rollerh..

' UNTITED STATES PATENT OEEiOE.

THADDEUS sQIGRiMEs, OE ATLANTA, GEORGIA, AssiGNOE TO EDWARD vAN wiNKLE, OE ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

PNEUMATIC coTToN-ELEvAToR.

Specication of Letters Patent. 'Application maa September 3o, 1905. serial No. 2a0,ss'1.

Patented J une 19, 1906.

.To all', whom it may concern):

Be it known that I, THADDEUS S. GRIMEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, county of Fulton, in the State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Cotton-Eleto be a full, clear, and exact description of skilled in the art-to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to cut-0E valves for pneumatic cotton-elevators; and the object of my invention is to rovide a cut-off valve wliie will automatica ly allor the cotton to be delivered to the gin or other device at stated intervals and which will at the same time not interrupt or interfere with the current of air drawn in by the suction-fan.

With this object in view my invention consists in the construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my improved device, the valve being shown in dotted lines; and Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, taken at right angles to Fig. 1.

a re resents a driving-pulley mounted en a shaft which is secured in bearings c c on a plate d, which is fastenedto the side s of a suction-pipe which is of the ordinary' type and delivers to a gin or other machine. This suction-pipe is preferably square and made of wood. To the shaft b is fastened a worm e, which meshes with a worm-wheel f, which is mounted on the stud-shaft g, sup orted in the frame d. This worm-wheel is o a spiderframe construction and on one of its arms is Ai. represents the' icam for operating the valve, which is mounted on the shaft l and is provided with a handle j and a counterweight By means of the handle the valve which is mounted on the shaft Zcan be operated by hand whenever desired. The cam i is provided with an actuating-surface m, an idle surface n, and an `actuating-surface o. As the wheelfrevolves-the roller h comes'in contact with the curved portion m of the cam, moving the latter (and the valve operated thereby)I to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The 'valve remains in this position `the position shown in for a sh'ort time while the roller h is passing under the portion of the cam, and the roller then strikes the portion o of the cam and turns back the valve into its original position.

The valve itself consists of two pairs or radial arms p, fastened to the shaft l, and to each pair of these armsA is fastenedl a curved 6o quadrant g. Over' 4these quadrants is stretched sh'eet metal, thus making the valve a section of a cylinder. The side of the suction-pipe s is provided with curved extensions 1', inside of which is the valve. opening between the extensions r is of approximately the same area as the opening through the suction-pipe s, the result being' that as the valve is opened or closed substan- The 6 5 tially the same area will be left for the pas- 7o sage of air to the suction-fan.

The operation is as follows: The pulley a is revolved by anysuitable means in the di`l rection of the arrow 9, which causes the revof lution of the gear-wheel f the arrow 8. In the positionshown 1n Fig. 1 the roller h strikes t e cam t and turns the valve to the left. The valve remains in thisV shifted osition for a short time and is then turned E the roller h strikes the art o of the cam. In ll lines the air asses through the pipe s, as indicated by t e' arrows 6. In the position shown in dotted in the direction of 7 5 ackward to its original position as 8o lines the air passes into said pipes, as `indicated by the arrows 7, and. no matter what the position of the valve is an opemng cr openings of constant area are left for the air, so that the action of the suction-fan which draws the air through the pipe s is not inter- 9.o

fered with in any way. 'Ifhis is a very important .feature of my invention.

A It should be noted that vthe opening and closing ofthe valve occupies only a small 1ntervalof time as compared with the time required for a complete revolution ofthe wheel f. This is in Order that the valve may be autime, and then closed fat' considerable inter* vals.

While I have shown a worm wheel and gear for operating the valve, tinct y understood that I do not limit myself to this means, as any usual mechamcal eans for operating the valve might be employed..

Having thus described my invention, what tomatically opened, kept open for a short f IOO I wish it to be dis- Io vided with an opening in its side of substantially the same area as the pipe itself, a quadrant-valve centrally mounted in said pipe, and means for automatically operating said valve at intervals, consisting of a cam, a gear- 15 wheel provided with a roller, and means for operatln said gear-wheel, substantially as describe 3. The combination of a suotionpip'e'provided with an opening in its side of substanzo tially the same area as the pipe itself, aquadrant-valve mounted on a shaft located in the center of the'pipe' and provided with a handle and-counterweight, and means4 for automatically operating said valve, substan- 2 5 tially as described.

4. The combination of a suction-pipeprocentrally mounted in said ipe a uadrantvalve mounted-on said sha t, a an le, countervveight and cam also mounted on said shaft, a Wheel carrying a roller adapted to engage with said cam, and means for operating said Wheel, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a suction-pipe provided With an opening in its side of substantially the same area as the pipe itself, and also provided with curved extensions, a shaft centrally mounted in said pipe, a quadrant; valvemounted on said shaft, an operatinghandle, counterweight and cam also mounted on' said shaft, a gear-Wheel provided with a roller adapted tol en age said cam, and a Worm for operating sai gear-Wheel, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

THADDEUS s. GRI-MES. Witnesses:

H. S. MILES, M. R. WILKINSON.

vided wah an lashing infiati'aftf'ataar tially the same area as the pipe itself,"a shaft A 

